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Saturday, 19 May 2012

Hepworth Wakefield

Today we have had a fantastic family day out to Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield. Its a modern art gallery named after famous sculptor Barbara Hepworth and has been shortlisted for the Art Fund Prize 2012. The Independent called it "One of the Finest Contemporary Art Museums in Europe" and it is one of the top three visited art galleries outside of London. After reading all this and seeing it on the local news the other evening and just had to visit. I'm not particularly arty I have to admit, I wish I was, but the children really are and take after my talented hubby thank goodness! I haven't taken them to many art galleries, especially since an incident in the Tate Modern a few years back, not one I'd like to repeat to be fair. But they are all older now and I'm a bit more chilled, plus there were two adults this time! We walked over the bridge from the car park to the gallery which sits right next to the River Calder, there are a few boats in the harbour section and this great junk model! As it was the galleries first birthday there were lots of things going off today. The staff were fantastic and the children got an opportunity to take part in making their own modern art. They got to chose between sewing, scratch cards, making straw sculptures and using cellophane to create pictures. Cordelia went for the straw sculpture:

Piper chose the scratch card

And Ruben, well he created his own masterpiece from black card, black tape and coloured cellophane

The finished result!!

After we had finished in this super cosy and relaxing art corner we were told that there was a theatre production on in the auditorium called "Sculptor;s Surprise". It was free and so we all piled in, not before we were entertained waiting by three people in neon coloured body sacks, moving toward us-a little bit Doctor Who-ish and the younger two were totally memorised! The play was fantastic and so much fun. We all learned about Barbara Hepworth and he creations, her inspirations and how busy she must have been sculpting and being a mother to triplets! Very impressive! Cordelia and Ruben really got into the whole atmosphere and Cordelia actually joined in part of the play having to be a statue of despair and grief-which is extremely tricky when you are such a smiley girl! Ruben chirped in with lots of answers and ideas and its lovely to see how confident they both are even in a room full of strangers! After we came out we managed to get straight back into the studio to make some clay models. Its lovely doing things as a family and seeing so many other families enjoying each others company too! Such a wonderful atmosphere.

Cordelia's "Rainbow Horse"

Ruben's "Monster/Dragon"

Piper's abstract art sculpture

Hubby's "Oppression against Impression"

Bailey's Octopus-which wasn't his highlight of the day!

But this DEFINITELY was

Yes that's right I have a funny or sarcastic son who found it highly hilarious when he realised if he tweeted #hepworthgallery it would appear on a giant screen in the reception. For those of you that can't read his comment, it says "Hepworthgallery stuck in the toilets. Please help....#Hepworthinspires

I am such a lucky mother aren't I?

After a wander around the art gallery and another chat about Barbara Hepworth's work, we headed out to play in the fancy playground that the children spotted from upstairs. The views from the windows are pretty cool. Especially the window overlooking the river, it feels like you are standing on top of it.